Spectacle frame

ABSTRACT

The temple pieces of a spectacle frame are secured to lens rims of thermoplastic synthetic resin composition by a hinge assembly of which one element is partly embedded in the associated rim. It is a unitary metal piece having a baseplate portion from which an eye or barrel projects. The embedded portion consists of two transversely spaced barbed pins of partly rounded trapezoidal cross section which are inserted into blind, round bores of the rim while heated well above the softening temperature of the resin composition.

United States Patent Anton Dietrich;

Alois Wagner, both of Munich; Paul Stutz, Alten-Erding; Martin Obster,Hohenbrunn-Riemeling, all of Germany 30,686

Apr. 22, 1970 Jan. 11, 1972 Optische Werke G. Rodenstock Munich, Germany[72] Inventors [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73 Assignee [32]Priority June 26, 1969 [3 3 Germany [31] G 69 25 299.9

[54] SPECTACLE FRAME 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 16/128 A, 351/153 [51] Int. Cl (302C 5/22 [50] Field ofSearch [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,489,490 l/1970Seaver 351/153 1,643,218 9/1927 McDonell 351/153 3,192,556 7/1965Himelreich 16/150 FOREIGN PATENTS 463,491 1937 Great Britain 351/153974,380 1964 Great Britain.... 351/153 339,396 1959 Switzerland 351/153Primary Examiner- Donald A. Griffin Attorney-Kelman and Berman SPECTACLEFRAME This invention relates to spectacle frames, and particularly tothe hinges which attach the temple pieces to the lens rims. In its morespecific aspects, the invention is concerned with spectacle frameshaving lens rims of thermoplastic synthetic resin composition and tohinge elements suitable for being fastened to such rims by embedding.

It is known partly to embed hinge elements in the thermoplasticspectacle frame parts by inserting the hot hinge ele ments in a suitablyshaped opening so that the plastic material flows about the insertedpart for fastening the same when the plastic cools. The known devicesare limited in their application and not always satisfactory.

Some of the known devices require the plastic body to be formed withopenings of a shape not readily achieved in a simple manner, such as anelongated slot. Others consist of several parts of which some areindividually fastened to the plastic or resin composition whereafterothers are attached to the fastened parts. Yet others cannot be securelyanchored in a lens rim unless the latter is unusually heavy or providedwith special lugs, and many of the known hinge elements are not fastenedsecurely enough to prevent relative movement of the hinge element andthe associated lens rim.

An object of the invention is the provision of a lens frame of the typedescribed in which the temple pieces are secured safely to the lens rimsin a simple manner and without requiring an especially heavyconfiguration of the latter.

With this object and others in view, as will presently become apparent,the invention provides a unitary hinge element including a plate portionhaving two opposite major faces. An apertured eye portion of the elementprojects from one of the plate faces and two barbed pin portions fromthe other face. The pin portions are each elongated in a commondirection away from the other face.

The free longitudinal end parts of the two pin portions are transverselyspaced from each other so as to define therebetween a slot in the hingeelement. The cross section of each free end part over substantially theentire length thereof has the approximate shape of a trapezoid, thelarger bases of the trapezoids facing each other across the slot.

A first longitudinal section of each free end part tapers toward theplate portion, and a second longitudinal section tapers away from thefirst section and the plate portion, the apex angle of the first sectionbeing greater than that of the second portion. A third and fourthsection similarly tapering are preferably provided for better anchorageof the hinge element in plastic frame parts.

When inserted into the lens rim under suitable conditions of temperatureand pressure, the pin portions are conformingly embedded in thesynthetic resin composition of the associated lens rim, and the eyeportion projects from the lens rim so that it may be linked by a pivotpin to a corresponding hinge element on the temple piece.

Other features and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill readily become apparent from the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in connectionwith the appended drawing in which:

FIG. I shows a spectacle frame of the invention in a fragmentaryperspective view;

FIG. 2 illustrates a hinge element of the frame of FIG. 1 in sideelevation on a larger scale; and

FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, show the device of FIG. 2 in plan view andfront elevation.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG. 1, there is shown asmuch of an otherwise conventional, symmetrical spectacle frame as isneeded for an understanding of this invention. The frame includes twolens rims of thermoplastic synthetic resin composition, of which onlyone is partly illustrated, and which are connected by a nonillustratedbridge or nosepiece which may also be of plastic or of metal. Each lensrim 10 is pivotally secured to an associated temple piece 11 by a hingeassembly including two apertured element l2, l3 and a pin 14simultaneously received in the aligned apertures of the elements 12, 13which are partly embedded respectively in the lens rim 10 and the templepiece 11.

The hinge element 13 may be of a conventional type and has two alignedeyes or barrels. The element 12 is shown on a larger scale and in moredetail in FIGS. 2 to 4.

It is a unitary rigid piece of metal, such as brass which may be platedwith nickel and/or gold. It consists mainly of a base plate 1, a barrelor eye portion 2, and two barbed pins, the eye portion 2 and the pinsprojecting from opposite major faces of the base plate 1. The face ofthe plate 1 from which the eye portion 2 projects is cylindricallyconcave approximately about the axis of the eye in the portion 2 tofacilitate pivotal movement of the temple piece 11, not itself seen inFIGS. 2 to 4.

The parts 3 of the barbed pins nearest the plate I are integrallyjoined, and have the cross-sectional shape of an elongated rectanglewhose sides bulge outwardly, as best seen in FIG. 4. The free end partsof the two pins are separated by a slot 6 having flat opposite walls andeach consist of several longitudinal sections alternatingly taperingtoward the plate 1 and away from the plate I, the apex angles of thetapers toward the plate 1 being much greater than those of the tapersdirected away from the plate 1.

The pins are thereby formed with two barbs 4, 5 which facilitateinsertion of each pin into a bore in the lens rim 10 during assembly ofthe frame, but resist withdrawal. Although the cross section of each pinvaries over its length, each cross section of the free end part has theapproximate shape of a trapezoid whose sides and shorter bases arcuatelybulge in an outward direction. The longer bases which bound the slot 6are straight and aligned in the direction of pin elongation. Theoutermost longitudinal section of the barb 5 is beveled all around.

The hinge element is readily produced on automatic metalworkingequipment at low cost. It is assembled hot with a thermoplastic lens rimin which two round, blind holes were drilled prior to assembly and canbe inserted into the holes with little pressure. When embedded in thecooled plastic, the barbed pins resist all attempts at moving themrelative to the lens rim, and it is not normally possible to remove oreven loosen the hinge element without breaking the lens rim unless thelatter should be of unusually heavy section.

The illustrated hinge element can be embedded successfully in very slimlens rims as is partly evident from FIG. 1. The pins when embedded intransparent or translucent, plastic contribute their own decorativeeffect to the spectacle frame. The slight convex curvature of theexposed pin surfaces causes light to be reflected in a pleasing manner.The curved surfaces also contribute greatly to the ease with which thehinge element can be embedded in the plastic without leaving voids as ismore likely with planar surfaces.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A unitary rigid hinge element for use in a spectacle framecomprising:

a. a plate portion having two opposite major faces;

b. an apertured eye portion projecting from one of said faces;

c. two barbed pin portions projecting from the other face of said plateportion and being each elongated in a common direction away from saidother face,

1. the free longitudinal end parts of said pin portions remote from saidother face being tranversely spaced so as to define therebetween a slotin said hinge element,

2. the cross section of each of said free end parts having theapproximate shape of a trapezoid, the larger bases of said trapezoidsfacing each other across said slot, and

3. a first longitudinal section of each of said free parts taperingtoward said other face, and a second longitudinal section of said freepart tapering away from said first section and from said other face.

2. An element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first section tapersat a greater apex angle than said second section.

3. An element as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said free partshas a third longitudinal section tapering toward said first and secondsections and toward said other face, and a fourth longitudinal sectiontapering away from said third section and said other face, said thirdsection tapering at a greater apex angle than said fourth section.

4. An element as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pin portions haverespective spacedly parallel, flat, wall portions bounding said gap.

5. An element as set forth in claim 3, wherein the larger bases of thetrapezoids defined by a plurality of said longitudinal sections in eachof said free parts are aligned in a common plane extending in saidcommon direction.

6. An element as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first, second,third, and fourth longitudinal sections are longitudinally consecutivein this order and contiguous.

7. A spectacle frame comprising, in combination:

a. two fixedly connected lens rims of thermoplastic synthetic resincomposition;

b. two temple pieces; and

c. two hinge assemblies respectively connecting said temple pieces tosaid lens rims, each hinge assembly including 1. a first hinge elementas set forth in claim 2, said pin portions being conformingly embeddedin the synthetic resin composition of the associated lens rim, and saideye portion projecting from said associated lens rim,

a second apertured hinge element fastened to the associated templepiece, and

3. a hinge pin simultaneously received in the apertures of said hingeelements.

8. A spectacle frame as set forth in claim 7, wherein each lens frame isannular about a central axis, and said pin portions are elongatedsubstantially tangentially relative to a circle about said axis.

9. An element as set forth in claim 2 which is a unitary body of metal.

1. A unitary rigid hinge element for use in a spectacle framecomprising: a. a plate portion having two opposite major faces; b. anapertured eye portion projecting from one of said faces; c. two barbedpin portions projecting from the other face of said plate portion andbeing each elongated in a common direction away from said other face, 1.the free longitudinal end parts of said pin portions remote from saidother face being tranversely spaced so as to define therebetween a slotin said hinge element,
 2. the cross section of each of said free endparts having the approximate shape of a trapezoid, the larger bases ofsaid trapezoids facing each other across said slot, and
 3. a firstlongitudinal section of each of said free parts tapering toward saidother face, and a second longitudinal section of said free part taperingaway from said first section and from said other face.
 2. the crosssection of each of said free end parts having the approximate shape of atrapezoid, the larger bases of said trapezoids facing each other acrosssaid slot, and
 2. An element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said firstsection tapers at a greater apex angle than said second section.
 3. Anelement as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said free parts has athird longitudinal section tapering toward said first and secondsections and toward said other face, and a fourth longitudinal sectiontapering away from said third section and said other face, said thirdsection tapering at a greater apex angle than said fourth section.
 3. afirst longitudinal section of each of said free parts tapering towardsaid other face, and a second longitudinal section of said free parttapering away from said first section and from said other face.
 3. ahinge pin simultaneously received in the apertures of said hingeelements.
 4. An element as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pinportions have respective spacedly parallel, flat, wall portions boundingsaid gap.
 5. An element as set forth in claim 3, wherein the largerbases of the trapezoids defined by a plurality of said longitudinalsections in each of said free parts are aligned in a common planeextending in said common direction.
 6. An element as set forth in claim3, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth longitudinal sectionsare longitudinally consecutive in this order and contiguous.
 7. Aspectacle frame comprising, in combination: a. two fixedly connectedlens rims of thermoplastic synthetic resin composition; b. two templepieces; and c. two hinge assemblies respectively connecting said templepieces to said lens rims, each hinge assembly including
 8. A spectacleframe as set forth in claim 7, wherein each lens frame is annular abouta central axis, and said pin portions are elongated substantiallytangentially relative to a circle about said axis.
 9. An element as setforth in claim 2 which is a unitary body of metal.